BAGADAT SILVER TETRADRACHM – CORONATION TYPE ISSUE OVERSTRUCK ON PHILIP III TETRADRACHM OF BABYLON – AU NGC GRADED KINGS OF PERSIS COIN (Inv. 20054)

$8,000.00

20054. KINGS of PERSIS. BAYDAD (BAGADAT). Early 3rd century BC.
Silver Tetradrachm, 16.68 g, 32 mm. “Coronation” type, issue of Istakhr (Persepolis) mint.
Obv. head right, with short beard, mustache, and earring, wearing kyrbasia with flaps tied behind. Rev. Baydad enthroned left, holding scepter and cup; standard to inner left; ‘lhy’ in Aramaic up left, bgdt prtrk’ (Baydad frataraka) in Aramaic down right.
van’t Haaff, Persis, Type 511/514 a (same obv. die as illustration); K&M 2/1; Alram 511; Sunrise 557.
Ex CNG 126, 5/28/2024, lot 390 = The New York Sale 54, 1/11/2022, lot 136.
NGC graded AU, Strike 4/5, Surface 2/5, “graffito,” “undertype: Alexandrine,” light iridescent toning, slight surface porosity, k’m in Aramic graffiti on obverse.

An absolutely stunning piece, this coin is clearly overstruck on an Alexander-type tetradrachm. Examining the outline of Heracles’ head largely visible on the obverse, including the knot of the lion skin, as well as the distinctive treatment of the undertype’s exergue (most of the royal title that appears below a distinctive exergue line remains visible), it seems that the coin used was an emission in the name of Philip III issued at Babylon during the first satrapy of Seleucus I – cf. Duyrat 94944-947 (obv. die 215), which is Price P148, reattributed to Seleucus I as SC Ad43.6. Traces of the undertype are marked in red on the undertype.